Chapter 6: I Only Need 72 Hours To Fall In Love With You (VI)

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Chapter 6: I Only Need 72 Hours To Fall In Love With You (VI)

“If Roy were to replace Gabriel and inherit your father’s legacy, would you agree?”

Yes. Absolutely yes! Had Ravel also seen through Gabriel’s narrow-minded nature and realized that he was incapable of accomplishing anything of significance?

Seeing him nod, Ravel said nothing more and merely stroked his head.

Only then did Shang Ke notice that there was a black mole in the center of Ravel’s right palm. It was said that people with a mole on their palm were destined for wealth and status and possessed natural leadership ability. Others said it was a mark left by an unfinished romance from a previous life, allowing two lovers to find each other again in this one. Buddhist folklore, however, held that such a person was fated to be a baleful solitary star, destined to walk through life alone.

There was no way to verify the latter two claims, but the Ravel in front of him was undoubtedly a winner in life blessed with both wealth and leadership ability.

What Shang Ke didn’t know was that Ravel actually fit all three.

“We’re done here. Let’s go back. I’ll eat with you.” Ravel pushed Shang Ke back to his hospital room and instructed the nurse to bring their meal.

Whatever Shang Ke ate, Ravel ate as well. Even if it was nothing more than a bowl of plain congee, he ate it without the slightest change in expression. Shang Ke had to admire him for that.

Although Shang Ke’s meals had improved over the past few days, his body had actually weakened to the extreme and could no longer absorb much nutrition. No matter how energetic he appeared, he was growing thinner by the day.

Doctor Benny had said that every additional day Cage remained alive was another miracle. Anyone else would have given up long ago. Ravel knew why Cage was holding on: he wanted to witness the founding of the new Empire with his own eyes.

For the first time, Ravel hesitated to announce the news. He was afraid that once Cage’s wish was fulfilled, he would leave this world without the slightest reluctance.

Ravel couldn’t bear to part with him. He couldn’t let him go…

That evening, Ravel returned to his residence.

Kahn stepped forward. “I’ve confined Gabriel to one of the guest rooms. How do you intend to deal with him, General?”

Ravel’s expression turned cold as he strode toward the guest room.

“Let me out! I’m General Utrecht’s son! You can’t treat me like this!” Gabriel’s shouting came from inside the guest room.

The guards remained unmoved. When they saw Ravel and Kahn approaching, they immediately bowed in salute and opened the door.

Gabriel became visibly agitated when he saw Ravel enter. “General, you’re finally back. Please tell me, why have I been placed under house arrest?”

Ravel didn’t answer. He merely gestured for Kahn to play the footage from the hospital.

The moment Gabriel saw the footage, his expression changed dramatically. Gritting his teeth, he said, “What I did may have been inappropriate, but if you knew how Cage used to treat me, you would understand why I did it.”

“I don’t need to know how he treated you before,” Ravel said coldly. “All I need to know is that while Cage was bedridden and gravely ill, you insulted him and laid hands on him. Who gave you the audacity to treat a hero who had just endured such an ordeal that way?”

“A hero?” Gabriel scoffed. “If he’d stayed obediently on Tayma, none of this would have happened. You could have won without him. Everything that happened to him was his own doing. What right does he have to be treated like a hero?”

“What right?” Ravel gestured toward Kahn. “You tell him.”

Kahn looked coldly at Gabriel. “Perhaps Young Master Cage’s arrival was an accident, and perhaps his capture was an accident as well. But everything he did afterward was more than enough to earn him the title of ‘hero.’ He paid the price for his own choices, and he held fast to his convictions for the sake of our cause. As you said, perhaps we could have won without him. But his presence diverted the enemy’s attention, bought us precious time to counterattack, and greatly reduced our casualties.”

After a pause, he continued, “Young Master Gabriel, if you had been in his place, could you have done better?”

“Why couldn’t I?” Gabriel puffed out his chest. “I’ve always been more outstanding than him, more hardworking than him, and better suited to inherit Father’s legacy.”

Frost gathered in Ravel’s eyes. The thought that Cage had been humiliated by someone so shallow was almost unbearable.

“Kahn, I’ll leave him to you,” Ravel said coldly. “Let him have a taste of interrogation and torture. We’ll see whether he can really do better than Cage, just as he claims.”

With that, he turned and walked out of the room.

“Wait, General Ravel! I’m General Utrecht’s heir! Aren’t you afraid of provoking public outrage by treating the son of a hero this way?”

Kahn looked at him with pity. This fool still didn’t realize that his position as heir was about to disappear.

In truth, ever since General Utrecht’s death, House Bick had existed in name only. What Ravel had preserved were the family’s title, status, and honors. If Cage died, whoever inherited the Bick name would be entirely up to Ravel.

Gabriel had originally been the most suitable candidate. Unfortunately, he had brought disaster upon himself simply because he couldn’t suppress a moment’s resentment.

Kahn took a syringe from one of the guards and said to Gabriel, “Cage was injected with a sensory amplifier that amplified his senses tenfold. I’ll be generous and cut that in half for you. We’ll only use enough for fivefold amplification.”

Gabriel stared at the syringe in Kahn’s hand, a trace of fear flashing through his eyes…

That night, agonized screams rang continuously from a guest room in Ravel’s secondary residence.

Early the next morning, Kahn came to report.

“He only lasted two hours.”

Kahn brought up the recording. Gabriel had begun begging for mercy just five or six minutes after the torture started, tears and snot streaming down his face as he made an utterly wretched spectacle of himself.

His reaction wasn’t unusual. Five times the normal pain was simply not something an ordinary person could endure. Kahn hadn’t even dared use any of the harsher methods. Otherwise, Gabriel might not have lasted an hour.

“How in the world did Cage do it?” With Gabriel as a comparison, Kahn was even more astonished that Cage had survived torture while enduring tenfold pain. It had gone far beyond physical suffering. It had been a test of sheer will.

Ravel had absolutely no interest in watching Gabriel’s torture. Turning to Kahn, he said, “I’ll be staying at the hospital tonight.”

Kahn froze for a moment. “But tomorrow is the founding ceremony!”

“I know,” Ravel replied calmly. “Have my ceremonial attire delivered to the hospital in advance. When the time comes, I’ll leave from there and go directly to the ceremonial square.”

“But your safety…”

“I trust your ability to handle it.” Ravel patted Kahn on the shoulder in encouragement, then left the study and headed straight for the hospital.

Kahn stared speechlessly at his retreating back.

Is it really okay for the leader of a country to be this willful?!

When Ravel arrived at the hospital, Shang Ke was struggling to raise his arm, trying to pick up a piece of fruit from the table.

Ravel immediately shot a sharp look at the nurse nearby. “Why aren’t you helping him?”

The nurse hurriedly replied, “Young Master Cage wanted to try it himself.”

Shang Ke nodded at him to confirm that it had been his own idea. Although his fingers still couldn’t move, he had regained a little movement in his arms.

When he finally succeeded in lifting the fruit, Shang Ke gave Ravel a delighted smile and held it out to him.

“For me?” Ravel asked.

Shang Ke nodded.

Ravel accepted the fruit without the slightest hesitation and solemnly ate it one bite at a time.

Noticing Shang Ke staring at him, Ravel casually picked up a piece of sliced fruit from the plate and held it to his lips.

Shang Ke opened his mouth and took a bite.

The two took turns eating and feeding each other, the atmosphere remarkably harmonious.

After breakfast, Shang Ke noticed that Ravel still showed no sign of leaving and couldn’t help finding it strange.

“I’m staying with you today.” As Ravel turned on the video screen, he continued, “After breakfast, we’ll watch two hours of programs, rest for one hour, and then have lunch. After lunch, I’ll take you through the garden to pick flowers, watch butterflies, and listen to music. Two hours later, we’ll have tea and snacks in the pavilion, then return to the hospital room so you can rest. After dinner, we’ll change your dressings, do your body care, and complete your routine examination.”

Ravel laid out the entire day’s schedule with the same solemn precision he might use to handle official business, leaving Shang Ke increasingly dumbfounded as he listened.

“If you have any objections, you can let me know with gestures at any time.” Ravel looked at Shang Ke seriously, apparently waiting for his response.

Shang Ke couldn’t help laughing. Sometimes this man was actually rather cute.

Ravel stared at him without blinking, Shang Ke’s smile filling those ice-blue eyes.

Shang Ke nodded, agreeing to his arrangements.

Only then did Ravel look away. He helped Shang Ke change channels and, following his signals, selected an entertainment program for them to watch together.

The program was hilarious, making Shang Ke laugh several times, but Ravel wore exactly the same expression from beginning to end. Not even the corner of his mouth twitched.

Shang Ke seriously wondered whether there was something wrong with the man’s facial nerves.

“What is it?” Ravel noticed Shang Ke staring and turned to ask.

Shang Ke shook his head to indicate that it was nothing.

Ravel checked the time. “You should rest now.”

As he spoke, he stood and helped Shang Ke lie down. Seeing Shang Ke staring up at him with bright, alert eyes, Ravel covered them with one hand.

“Sleep. I’ll wake you in an hour.”

Shang Ke: But I’m not sleepy at all!

Shang Ke lay in bed alone with his thoughts for an entire hour before getting up to have lunch with Ravel. After lunch came his fresh-air time.

With music playing in the background, Ravel personally… picked flowers for him.

Shang Ke had no idea whether this was because Roy had given him a bouquet yesterday and Ravel had therefore concluded that he must really like flowers…

In any case, Ravel actually followed the schedule he had drawn up step by step for the entire day. That evening, he even intended to spend the night at the hospital.

As the leader of a new Empire, isn’t he a little too free?!

Still, having someone “sleep with him” at night was actually rather nice. The time for Shang Ke to leave was drawing closer. Every day he spent in this world was one less day remaining.

Although their time together had been short, getting to know a friend like Ravel meant this trip hadn’t been in vain.

Shang Ke looked at Ravel lying on the other bed and silently said, Good night, my friend.

The next morning, Shang Ke opened his eyes to find Ravel dressed in magnificent ceremonial attire with a crown upon his head. For a moment, Shang Ke felt as though he had woken up in the middle of a grand ball.

Ravel said, “Today is the founding ceremony. After more than ten years of hard work, we’re finally about to welcome a new era. Cage, this honor belongs to all of us. Watch and see.”

Ravel’s expression was solemn and his presence commanding, like a king born to rule.

Shang Ke felt his heartbeat quicken at the sight. An unconscious gleam of admiration appeared in his eyes, brilliant as the rising sun—and sent Ravel’s blood surging.

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